Dental prosthesis

ABSTRACT

Dental prosthesis having acrylic base with gum recess, having a resilient molding engaging the gum, and a mounting element joining the base to the molding.

United States Patent Keumurdji Nov. 25, 1975 [5 DENTAL PROSTHESIS3,226,826 1/1966 Town 32/2 [76] Inventor: Avedis Keumurdji, Tucuman St.,N.

Buenos Alres, Argentina Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock 22 i 9 974Attorney, Agent, or FirmNorman S. Biodgett; Gerry A. Blodgett [21] App].No.: 498,708

[52] US. Cl. 32/2 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. A61C 13/00 1 [58] Field ofSearch 32/2, DIG. 2 Dental prosthesis having acrylic base with gumrecess, having a resilient molding engagingthe gum, and a [56]References C'ted mounting element joining the base to the molding.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,934,823 5/1960 Preis 32/2 10 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 I FIG. 2

FIG.

m u I 0 I I I I I ll w DENTAL PROSTHESIS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Itis well known to make false teeth of acrylics shaped in accordance witha mold taken from the gum of the person for which it is made. Theplastic structure is, therefore, a gum negative of that persons mouth.Although logically the prosthesis should be perfect, nevertheless, inpractice some movement takes place during mastication, so that theybecome not only uncomfortable because of the looseness, but the naturalteeth that should support the device can be loosened. Research andtesting has caused dentists to reach the conclusion that the acrylics,although an ideal material for a denture, is too rigid to adapt itselfto the gum. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior artdevices have been obviated in the novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide adental prosthesis to supplement the prosthesis concavity with someneutral material, which is able to match the possible differences insome places of the artificial base, but the material is so adherent tothe base that no movement relative to the gum is possible.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a dental prosthesishaving an elastic molding of quartermoon cross-section, having theability of being anchored to an acrylic base, so that the supplementacts as an integral part of the artificial structure.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a dentalprosthesis such that, after being placed in the mouth, the user canmasticate properly without displacement of any kind, no matter what kindof food ,is eaten, since the denture matches the maxills dynamics, as itdoes with natural teeth.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of partsset forth in the specification and covered by the claims appendedhereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, the invention consists of a dentalprosthesis having an elastic molding of quarter-moon crosssectionadhering to an acrylic'base through a mounting element which is lockedinto the same bases concavity; more specifically, to apply the mountingelement, it is required only to make a shallow rabbet in which it locks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The character of the invention,however, may be best understood by reference to one of its structuralforms,

,taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a section view of the prosthesis, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the prosthesis taken on the lineVI-VI of FIG. 5, but with the elements moved somewhat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, itcan be seen that the base a is molded of an acrylic polymer to supportthe teeth 1 and has an anatomic recess a, matching the gum shape. Thebase a is supplemented by a molding b, formed of polyester foam andcoated with a layer 2 of fabric. The molding is essentially neutral andelastic, as well as capable of being easily flattened.

-The molding b is of qu arter-moon or concave-convex cross-sectionalshape, in order to match the recess a at its exterior surface and tomatch the gum of the user through the interior or concave surface. Themolding b is disposed directly in the recess a and in this way the falseteeth are mounted on the gum as required.

The molding b is so elastic and neutral that it has practically nothickness, since it flattens readily, but its elastic tension acts byfitting the irregular surfaces. Nevertheless, some relative displacementcan result during chewing. For that reason, the device includes themounting elements 0, made as a laminated plate 3 .having on one activesurface a harsh bristle 4 capable of adhering to the fabric 2 that coatsthe molding b. This adherence through a multiple of bristled filamentsis so strong that, when the elastic molding b is applied against themounting elements 0, it remains perfectly anchored as an integral partof the apparatus. For that reason, when applying the molding to the basea of the false teeth, it is necessary first to put the mountingelement cin the said base.

Since the prosthesis was molded in accordance with the shape of thenatural gum and the addition of additional thicknesses would not bepractical, rabbets 5, matching the areas of the mounting element c, areformed in the bottom surface of the recess a, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.These are locked in place without any protrusion, so that only thebristled filaments of the active surface 4 emerge. In this way, themounting element c located in its respective rabbet 5 of the recess awill be sufficient to lock the molding b in this recess, since theanchorage becomes bi-dimensional.

By applying the prosthesis in the manner described, the molding b isflattened between the surface of the recess a and the gum in such a waythat it practically appears as a stamped sheet, but, being so stressedby the elastic tensions, a perfect fitting joint is obtained,immobilizing the denture perfectly and acting naturally.

In summary, this dental prosthesis comprises an elastic molding b whichis capable of being flattened, which is of quarter-moon cross-sectionand which matches anatomically with the recess a of the prosthesis. Themolding is coated with the fabric 2 and the said molding b has, as ananchorage means, one or more mounting elements c, made as a laminarplatelet 3 that can be inserted in the rabbet 5 of the bottom recess aand presents its active surface 4 formed with bristled harsh filamentsfor adherence with the molding b.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form andconstruction of the invention without departing from the material spiritthereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to theexact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include allsuch as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new anddesired to secure by Letters Patent 1. Dental prosthesis, comprising:

a. a base formed of rigid material carrying artificial teeth and havinga cavity having the general conformation of the gum of the user,

b. a molding of concavo-convex cross-section formed of resilientmaterial adapted to fit between the said cavity and the gum of the user,and

c. a mounting element fastened to the base and having an adheringsurface engaging the molding, the mounting element consisting of alamination of fabric layers, the layers contacting the molding havingcoarse fibres extending from it to lock into the surface of the molding.

2. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein the molding has itsconvex surface coated with a layer of fabric that locks favorably withthe mounting element.

3. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein the material ofwhich the base is formed is an acrylic polymer.

4. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein the material ofwhich the molding is made is polyester foam.

5. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein the mounting elementfits tightly in a shallow recess formed in the surface of the saidcavity of the base and has a rough surface contacting the molding.

6. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 5, wherein the recess hasundercut edges.

7. Dental prosthesis, comprising:

a. a base formed of rigid material carrying artificial teeth and havinga cavity having the general conformation of the gum of the user,

b. a molding of concavo-convex cross-section formed of resilientmaterial adapted to fit between the said cavity and the gum of the user,and

c. a mounting element fastened to the base and having an adheringsurface engaging the molding, the mounting element fitting tightly in ashallow recess formed in the surface of the said cavity of the base andhas a rough surface separable from but contactin g the molding.

8. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 7, wherein the recess hasundercut edges.

9. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 7, wherein the material ofwhich the base is formed is an acrylic polymer.

10. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 7, wherein the material ofwhich the molding is made is polyester foam.

1. Dental prosthesis, comprising: a. a base formed of rigid materialcarrying artificial teeth and having a cavity having the generalconformation of the gum of the user, b. a molding of concavo-convexcross-section formed of resilient material adapted to fit between thesaid cavity and the gum of the user, and c. a mounting element fastenedto the base and having an adhering surface engaging the molding, themounting element consisting of a lamination of fabric layers, the layerscontacting the molding having coarse fibres extending from it to lockinto the surface of the molding.
 2. Dental prosthesis as recited inclaim 1, wherein the molding has its convex surface coated with a layerof fabric that locks favorably with the mounting element.
 3. DeNtalprosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein the material of which the baseis formed is an acrylic polymer.
 4. Dental prosthesis as recited inclaim 1, wherein the material of which the molding is made is polyesterfoam.
 5. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein the mountingelement fits tightly in a shallow recess formed in the surface of thesaid cavity of the base and has a rough surface contacting the molding.6. Dental prosthesis as recited in claim 5, wherein the recess hasundercut edges.
 7. Dental prosthesis, comprising: a. a base formed ofrigid material carrying artificial teeth and having a cavity having thegeneral conformation of the gum of the user, b. a molding ofconcavo-convex cross-section formed of resilient material adapted to fitbetween the said cavity and the gum of the user, and c. a mountingelement fastened to the base and having an adhering surface engaging themolding, the mounting element fitting tightly in a shallow recess formedin the surface of the said cavity of the base and has a rough surfaceseparable from but contacting the molding.
 8. Dental prosthesis asrecited in claim 7, wherein the recess has undercut edges.
 9. Dentalprosthesis as recited in claim 7, wherein the material of which the baseis formed is an acrylic polymer.
 10. Dental prosthesis as recited inclaim 7, wherein the material of which the molding is made is polyesterfoam.